Method and apparatus for enhancing the soil structure of land

ABSTRACT

A method of enhancing the soil structure of land having a topsoil layer and a subsoil layer beneath the topsoil layer includes providing at least one subsoil tiller blade having a tilling surface and a bottom end, and a channel positioned behind the tilling surface of the subsoil tiller blade for injecting nutrients toward the bottom end of the subsoil tiller blade. The subsoil tiller blade is inserted into the land such that the bottom end extends into the subsoil layer. The subsoil tiller blade is driven through the land such that the tilling surface loosens the subsoil layer while the channel deposits nutrients into the subsoil layer.

FIELD

A method and apparatus for enhancing the soil structure of land.

BACKGROUND

Subsoil tillers are used to till the subsoil of land, which loosens thesoil to a deeper depth, while also reducing the amount of soil erosion.An example of a subsoil tiller is the Paratill™ produced by BighamBrothers Inc.

SUMMARY

There is provided a method of enhancing the soil structure of landhaving a topsoil layer and a subsoil layer beneath the topsoil layer.The method comprises the steps of providing at least one subsoil tillerblade having a tilling surface and a bottom end, and a channelpositioned behind the tilling surface of the subsoil tiller blade forinjecting nutrients toward the bottom end of the subsoil tiller blade.The subsoil tiller blade is inserted into the land such that the bottomend extends into the subsoil layer. The subsoil tiller blade is driventhrough the land such that the tilling surface loosens the subsoil layerwhile the channel deposits nutrients into the subsoil layer.

According to another aspect, there is provided an apparatus for use inenhancing the soil structure of land having a topsoil layer and asubsoil layer. The apparatus comprises a support frame, and at least onesubsoil tiller blade mounted below the support frame. The subsoil tillerblade has a tilling surface that loosens the subsoil when driven throughthe land, and a bottom end. A storage tank has a conveyor for conveyingnutrients into an outlet of the storage tank. At least one channel hasan inlet connected to the outlet of the storage tank and an outlettoward the bottom end of the at least one subsoil tiller for depositingthe pellets into the subsoil layer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features will become more apparent from the followingdescription in which reference is made to the appended drawings, thedrawings are for the purpose of illustration only and are not intendedto be in any way limiting, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of the subsoil tiller pulled throughland to be reclaimed.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a subsoil tiller.

FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of the subsoil tiller.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A method and apparatus for reclaiming land will now be described withreference to FIG. 1 through 3.

In order to enhance the soil structure the land, tilling is used toloosen the soil and relieve the compaction. In reclamation projects, thearea will be replanted in order to allow nature to relaim the land.However, it is difficult for roots to grow through compacted land, andthe roots have a tendency to remain close to the top where the soil islooser, which slows the recovery of the subsoil.

It may be desireable to enhance the soil structure of various types ofsoil for different reasons, such as to reclaim the land after working,improve the soil structure in farmland, or enhance the structure innaturally occurring soils. For example, the soil structure of land atworksites is often damaged by heavy equipment. Sites typically damagesmay include along power lines, along oil and gas pipelines, and wellsite pads. This makes it difficult for plants to establish roots in theground. Left to nature alone, recovery can take from 30 to 50 years.Other examples includes farm land, where repeatedly driving over landcreates a hard “shell” under the topsoil that is tilled regularly, orsoils that are naturally compacted, for a variety of reasons.

The present method encourages the growth of root systems by looseningthe compacted land, and injecting nutrients at an appropriate depth inthe subsoil. The nutrients encourage the roots to grow downward to reachthem, and the loosened soil makes it easier for the roots to reach them.The depth of injection will vary depending on soil conditions, howeverit is anticipated that a depth of between 20 cm and 50 cm is sufficientfor most situations. As the roots grow deeper, more moisture andnutrients are available to them, and the plants become stronger and moreproductive. The land is reclaimed or enhanced as root systems areestablished. As the roots from previous years plant growth decays, therepair of soil structure is perpetuated. Some results have suggestedthat recovery of the land occurs using the method described hereinwithin five years instead of 30 to 50 years.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, a subsoil injector 10 has a support frame 12with a storage tank 14, such as a hopper as depicted, mounted abovesupport frame 12 for holding the nutrients to be injected, and a subsoiltiller 16 attached below support frame 12 with a bottom end 17. Insteadof being mounted above support frame 12, storage tank 14 may be on atrailer that is pulled behind support frame 12, or mounted on or pulledby a separate vehicle altogether. The actual design of storage tank 14relative to support fram 12 will at least partly depend on the form ofnutrients and type of conveyor described below. As show, there are twosubsoil tillers 16 that curve toward each other with bottom ends 17about two feet apart. The subsoil tillers 16 depicted are similar to theParatill™ produced by Bigham Brothers Inc. Two subsoil tillers 16 areshown with tilling ends 17 about two feet apart. The number and type ofsubsoil tillers 16 including their spacing will depend on thepreferences of the user, however two is a convenient number as twoinjection channels 28 (described below) can be easily fed by the sameauger 29. Subsoil tillers 16 have tilling surfaces 19 that fracture thesubsoil layer 26 with minimal disturbance to the topsoil layer 24, whichreduces erosion and mixing of topsoil and subsoil. As shown, tillingsurfaces 19 curve along with subsoil tillers 16 to fracture the subsoillayer 26 at an almost horizontal angle toward bottom ends 17.

Subsoil injector 10 has a three-point hitch 18 to be attached to a primemover, such as a tractor (not shown). The depth of subsoil injector 10can then be controlled by the prime mover via the three point hitch. Theprime mover pulls subsoil injector 10 through the land to be enhanced.While this is a common approach for operating tilling implements, itwill be understood that depth control and motive forces may also beapplied using other strategies.

Referring to FIG. 1, subsoil injector 10 is used to enhance the soilstructure of land 22 that has a topsoil layer 24 and a subsoil layer 26.Nutrients 27 are injected into subsoil layer 26 via a channel 28.Nutrients 27 are preferably in the form of pellets for ease of handlingand depositing, but may also be in other forms, such as powder, liquid,etc. Channel 28 guides nutrients as they pass from hopper 14 intosubsoil layer 26 toward tilling end 17 of subsoil tiller 16. Channel 28is preferably supported by subsoil tiller 16, and may be connected toits trailing edge. Alternatively, channel 28 may be integrally formed insubsoil tiller 16. Preferably, channel 28 is positioned relative tosubsoil tiller 16 so that it does not unnecessarily impede itsoperation. There is preferably one channel 28 for each subsoil tiller 16to obtain a better distribution of nutrients, but subsoil tillers 16 maybe included that do not have channels 28, or that have more than onechannel 28, such as channels that deposit nutrients at different depths.Hopper 14 feeds pellets 27 into channel 28 via a conveyor, such as anauger 29 as shown. Other conveyors may also be used, such as a drivenbelt, a pneumatic system, a pump, or a dispenser, such as a dispensingvalve. The conveyors will depend on the form of nutrients. Theseconveyors preferably are controllable that allows the amount ofnutrients 27 being deposited in subsoil layer 26 to be controlled. Inone example, twenty tonnes per hectare of nutrients 27 were deposited,with the nutrients expected to provide sufficient nutrients to lastapproximately three years. Preferably, the tilling and injection willoccur either in early spring or late fall, however the fall may bepreferred as the land may be more vulnerable to compaction duringspring.

Preferably, nutrients 27 are in pellet form to make them easier tohandle and inject. Nutrients 27 may be pellets of organic matter thathas been dehydrated, sterilized and compacted, such as a pelletizedversion of the organic matter that is available from EarthRenew OrganicsLtd. of Calgary, AB. Pellets may also be fertilizers, materialcontaining carbon, or combinations. Pellets may be in granular formsimilar to traditional fertilizer, or have a larger diameter, and willdepend on the final design of hopper 14, channel 28 and conveyor 29.

As subsoil tillers 16 break up the compacted ground, this opens theground for roots to establish themselves. Deep root action is encouragedas nutrients are injected in subsoil layer 26, and facilitated bysubsoil tiller 16 breaking up soil layers 24 and 26.

In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in itsnon-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included,but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to anelement by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibilitythat more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearlyrequires that there be one and only one of the elements.

The following claims are to be understood to include what isspecifically illustrated and described above, what is conceptuallyequivalent, and what can be obviously substituted. Those skilled in theart will appreciate that various adaptations and modifications of thedescribed embodiments can be configured without departing from the scopeof the claims. The illustrated embodiments have been set forth only asexamples and should not be taken as limiting the invention. It is to beunderstood that, within the scope of the following claims, the inventionmay be practiced other than as specifically illustrated and described.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for use in enhancing the soil structure of land having a topsoil layer and a subsoil layer, the apparatus comprising: a support frame; at least one subsoil tiller blade mounted below the support frame, the at least one subsoil tiller blade having a tilling surface that loosens the subsoil when driven through the land, and a bottom end, the at least one tilling surface being spaced from the support frame a distance that causes the tilling surface to extend to a depth of between 20 cm and 50 cm below a top surface of the topsoil layer and into the subsoil layer; a storage tank having a conveyor for conveying nutrients into an outlet of the storage tank; at least one channel having an inlet connected to the outlet of the storage tank and an outlet toward the bottom end of the at least one subsoil tiller blade for depositing the nutrients at a depth of between 20 cm and 50 cm below the surface of the topsoil later and into the subsoil layer.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising two or more subsoil tiller blades.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the conveyor is one of an auger, a belt, a pneumatic system, a pump and a dispenser.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the storage tank is a hopper and the nutrients are in the form of pellets.
 5. An apparatus for use in enhancing the soil structure of land having a topsoil layer and a subsoil layer, the apparatus comprising: a support frame; two or more subsoil tiller blades mounted below the support frame, each subsoil tiller blade having a tilling surface that loosens the subsoil when driven through the land, and a bottom end, the at least one tilling surface being spaced from the support frame a distance that causes the tilling surface to extend to a depth of between 20 cm and 50 cm below a top surface of the topsoil layer and into the subsoil layer; a storage tank having a conveyor for conveying nutrients into an outlet of the storage tank; two or more channels, each channel mounted to a separate one of the two or more subsoil tiller blades, each channel having an inlet connected to the outlet of the storage tank and an outlet toward the bottom end of the at least one subsoil tiller blade for depositing the nutrients at a depth of between 20 cm and 50 cm below the top surface of the topsoil later and into the subsoil layer, and wherein the outlet of at least one channel is at a different depth than the outlet of one or more other channels. 